In honor of Father’s Day, we took a moment to reflect as a team on how our fathers influenced us not just our upbringing, but our careers. Whether through steady support, hard-earned wisdom, or the example they set each day, our dads left impressions that continue to guide us in ways big and small—how we lead, how we take risks, how we work with integrity, and how we show up for others.
This post is a collection of personal stories from across the Vouched team—a tribute to the fathers who helped build the foundation beneath our professional journeys.
My dad has always been my role model when it comes to resilience and hard work. Growing up, I watched him build a life from humble beginnings. He found joy and pride in everything he did—whether it was running a business or simply watching concrete dry. That might sound funny, but for him, seeing something completed and knowing he had a hand in it was pure satisfaction. I learned from him that no job is too small and that with the right attitude, any task can be rewarding. He taught me how to balance ambition with kindness, to be a people person while still getting things done. I carry those lessons with me every day, both in my career and in how I approach challenges and opportunities.
My dad was a farmer, forty years my senior, and I was the youngest of five. To say there was a generational and cultural gap between us would be putting it mildly. As the last to do everything, I was eager to break out—start working, go to university, and leave for the big city. Yet, despite our differences and my drive to carve my own path, I constantly found myself turning to him for advice, financial, professional, and personal. He had a remarkable ability of breaking down big problems into manageable pieces I could actually tackle. And when he didn’t have the answer, he simply listened—with patience, humor, and many memorable one-liners I still hear echoing in my mind. He charged through life with grit and heart, and from him I learned to be strong, resilient, generous, and kind. He’s been gone ten years now, and I’d give anything to hear him say, just one more time: “If it doesn’t work, hit it with a hammer.”
Growing up, my stepfather was a defining influence in how I see the world and approach my career. He taught me the power of setting goals, mapping a path, and staying grounded even when things get tough. But what shaped me most was his unwavering belief in the strength of collaboration. He showed me that success in any team doesn't come from pushing your own agenda—it comes from listening deeply, understanding others' perspectives, and working toward shared goals. His example instilled in me the value of empathy and communication, and it's guided me in every professional relationship since.
My dad, Gordon F. Donlea, was a father of nine and a small business owner in Winthrop, Iowa (population 750). At various times he was mayor, fire chief, president of the school board, church council president and one of 60 local founders of the Buffalo Creek Golf Club. He endured a crushed pelvis at age 16 (his truck was hit by a train), 3 heart attacks, 4 hip joint surgeries, 5-bypass heart surgery and years of climbing ladders to fill fuel tanks and moving 55 gallon drums of oil. He lost his first wife and a daughter in a car accident that was partially his fault. Anytime I complain about some crummy aspect of my life, I think about what Gordy went through and took a deep breath and found that reservoir of resiliency down there...somewhere...that I inherited. He was truly a member of the greatest generation (born 1922) and put others first every single day of his life. I find the smell of cigarettes and diesel fuel nostalgic.
My father was the foundation of our family. After work, he would come home to start his second job, cooking dinner, cleaning, helping us kids with our homework. When I was 30, my dad told me that he arrived at college without the ability to read. A professor took him under his wing and taught him to read. My father not only graduated from college, but he went on to complete two masters degrees. He worked tirelessly doing whatever it took to raise us kids and keep the house in order while continuing his education. He is the reason I am who I am today.. It's his tenacity, drive to always be learning and his selflessness are the values that I try to embody both personally and professionally.
Time Is Love: A Tribute to My Dad
Josh Turner says: “Time is Love.” That’s how I think of my dad.
He was a tax attorney. Most of his career was spent preparing corporate tax returns—not Gordon Gekko financial wizardry or Wall Street maneuvers, but the routine, steady work of filing forms and the agonizing inventory of what’s owed. That work earned us a solid, middle-class home in Connecticut. It was a good home, full of love.
But what I remember most isn’t the work he did—it’s the time he gave to me and my sister.
You don’t fully appreciate the time your parents spent on you until you become a parent yourself. My own son is 12 now, and from the earliest days, I was struck by how much time, energy, and presence it takes to be a father. And then it hit me: wait—my parents did all this for me? Likely … even more.
A simple example: I was in the local Boy Scout troop. I remember my dad showing up to every meeting. I was ready to call it quits after I achieved Life Scout — I felt I’d done enough. But he kept going — attending meetings, organizing projects, nudging me forward. At the time, I complained: “Dad, I’d rather sleep in than do all this stuff!” But I stuck with it, and eventually earned my Eagle Scout badge, and now — decades later — every time I mention it, I know: it happened because he showed up. Because he cared. Because he had the resolve.
He did all that because he knew someday he'd want me to be able to say : “I did it.”
Back to today. This past week, our company won a Gold Stevie from the American Business Awards. The ceremony was held at the New York Marriott Marquis—the same hotel my family stayed in when I was 10, visiting New York to see the Christmas Spectacular. My parents raised us in New England, and they’d take us into the City each year to see that show. For us, it was magic.
And now, 45 years later, I found myself back in that same hotel. Contrast the boy wandering Times Square, to now him as a man on stage receiving an award. That full-circle moment was made possible, in no small part, by the foundation my dad laid.
I said goodbye to him two years ago, after 93 remarkable years. He taught me that what matters isn’t the money you make—it’s the time you give.
Time is love. And I’ll always be grateful for the time he gave me.
I love you, Dad.
As we celebrate Father’s Day, we take a moment to honor the fathers and father figures who raised us. Whether through guidance, support, or simply leading by example, these men have left a lasting imprint—teaching us resilience, compassion, integrity, and the importance of showing up with purpose.
Their impact goes beyond the personal; it echoes in how we lead, collaborate, and build together every day. To the fathers, mentors, and role models who’ve helped shape the people behind our company—thank you. Your influence continues to inspire us.
Happy Father’s Day.